Ong Beng Seng, the billionaire businessman known for bringing the Formula One night race to Singapore, has been fined S$30,000 (approximately $23,400) in connection with a high-profile gift scandal that involved a former Singaporean minister. The fine was handed down by Principal District Judge Lee Lit Cheng on August 15, 2025.
Ong, 79, pleaded guilty earlier this month to abetting former transport minister S. Iswaran in obstructing justice. The case centered on Ong providing Iswaran with luxury gifts, including an all-expenses-paid trip on Ong’s private jet to Doha, a stay at the Four Seasons hotel, business-class tickets, and tickets to Formula One, Premier League football matches, and London theater shows. The gifts exceeded a total value of S$403,000 (over $311,000).
The scandal, which erupted in July 2023, led to the jailing of Iswaran for 12 months in 2024, marking the first sentence for a Singapore minister related to corruption in nearly five decades. Iswaran was the chairman of the government’s steering committee for the Singapore Grand Prix and handled business matters related to the race.
Although Ong faced up to seven years’ imprisonment for abetting obstruction of justice, the court exercised judicial mercy due to his serious medical condition. Ong suffers from multiple myeloma, a rare, incurable bone marrow cancer. Both prosecution and defense recommended a fine instead of a prison term, citing his health issues.
Ong’s role was found to be less culpable compared to Iswaran, with the defense arguing that Ong simply complied with requests from the minister. The case sent shockwaves through Singapore, a city-state known for its impeccable record on anti-corruption enforcement.
Ong Beng Seng is a prominent figure in Singapore’s business and sports landscape, having built a vast real estate empire and managed the Singapore Grand Prix through his company Hotel Properties Limited. He announced his resignation as managing director of the company earlier this year to focus on his health.
The $23,000 fine marks a significant, though lenient, legal consequence in one of Singapore’s largest corruption scandals in recent decades, sending a message about accountability for even the most influential personalities in the city-state.
The judgment highlights the continued vigilance by Singapore’s judiciary and anti-corruption agencies in upholding transparency and rule of law, even in complex cases involving powerful business and political figures.
